Asters for Patience
by cosmicApproach
Summary: Mother's Day is a very introspective day for Nico Robin. She couldn't have the mother she deserved, but nonetheless she became a caring figure to so many people she loves. (a robin-centric ficlet featuring chopper)
This day was like any other, really. May 8th; spring, if one was lucky enough to experience that season in their part of the Grand Line. However, to some, it was Mother's Day. And for that particular reason, Robin had elected to spend some time secluded in her and Nami's cabin, with a book she had been meaning to read. Ohara was a small island, but it did serve the Mother's Day tradition- Robin could remember it from her childhood. As she escaped the bustle of the deck and stepped into the dimly lit cabin, scenes of the holiday flitted loosely through her mind like specks of dust in the early evening light. Scenes of her cousin handing her aunt a large bouquet of pink flowers, a mother spending the beautiful spring day in the park with her son, a father taking his children to the store, discussing what dinner they'd like to make for their mother. But year after year, since she was a toddler, Mother's Day had been the same for her: lonely.

Especially on this holiday, she would remember what it was like to meet her mother. Years of waiting, years of yearning to be like other children, years of recalling vague memories of her warmth and blurry memories of her smile, had culminated in that moment. Feeling Olvia's, _her mother's_ , arms embrace her, Robin felt like she had a home for the first time time in so long. She would have given anything to let that moment last forever, to keep feeling her fingertips press against the warmth of her mother's back, to keep her face buried in that white chrysanthemum hair. They had lost so much time together, time they could never dream to get back, but God, in that moment, none of it mattered. Her mother was finally here, they could finally be together.

Robin sat on her bed, book in hand. Despite the situation, her child self really believed that she and her mother could spend a wonderful life together, didn't she? She had thought her wishes had finally come true because of how hard she studied; that because her mother was proud of her, everything would right itself. They would study together, live together, see the world together. During the day, they could walk together, hand in hand, uncovering the world's mysteries. And at night, her mother could hold her, and Robin could fall asleep surrounded by the safety of Olvia's embrace.

Closing her eyes, she leaned back onto the sheets and let her black hair fan out under her. How beautiful the naiveté of a child was.

Usually, she didn't allow herself to entertain these emotions. _Some things are better left forgotten_ , Robin would think, even though the ache would never leave her heart. And often times, it was better left unattended to- hell, there were many years where this day would pass by without her notice. Years where she spent every day in fear wouldn't allow her to be wishful of anything but survival; years where guilt of the crimes she committed in order to stay alive didn't let her think back on her times of innocence. After all, keeping herself alive, and more importantly keeping her dream alive, would always take precedence. In a world that was constantly trying to kill her, she couldn't be so unguarded as to remember her mother. But at a time like this, with the warm, spring breeze drifting over the deck and the sounds of her nakama enjoying the day in the distance, she felt... safe. Safe enough to grieve. Safe enough to think of the childhood she could have had; the mother she could have had.

At some point, Robin had let the book that was resting in her hand fall to the bed. Her eyes drifted to the page as she lazily began to rub the corner of it between her thumb and index finger. _My attempts at distracting myself from the importance of today have evidently failed_ , she thought, a weak smile creeping onto her face. She wasn't used to being this vulnerable. And as tears began to blur her vision ever so slightly, Robin truly felt like she was a child once more, burying her face into Saul's shoulder as Olvia's dying words rang through the air.

"Maybe I should just forget it all," she muttered into the silence of the room.

Yet, after a few minutes, a timid knock at the door answered her. "Robin?" called an equally timid voice through the door.

"Chopper?" the archaeologist questioned as she gently closed the discarded book. She had mentioned at lunch that she wished to remain alone for the day, but she could hardly bring herself to turn away the little doctor. Besides, she doubted he would come knocking for her if it weren't important. Making her way to the door, Robin creaked it open, allowing the bright oranges of early dusk to slip into the room. The once pleasant breeze of the spring day was now a bit cold on her skin.

Chopper stood outside, obviously nervous about calling her out of her room. He was trying to hide something behind his back as well, though his tiny form did little to keep the blossoms from Robin's view. His eyes lit up at seeing her in the doorway, though he still looked rather unsure. "Oh, h-hi, Robin!" the little reindeer started, shuffling his hooves against the floorboards. "I'm sorry for bothering you, I know you said you wanted to read alone but-" he cut himself off and looked to the side. Then, all at once, he pulled the flowers out from behind his back and thrust them forward, looking at Robin with a hopeful expression. "Happy Mother's Day!"

Robin's eyes widened and her mind felt blank for a moment. And, well, her expression must have been quite jarring to the little doctor, because he immediately started backtracking. "I mean, um- I know you're not really my mother, well, you're not anyone's mother, but uh, on the last island we stopped at, I heard people talking about it! S-so, when I asked Franky, he said it was a holiday for celebrating the women who take care of you and um, and—" Chopper was now gesturing wildly with the blossoms as he rambled on. "His face really lit up when I said it, uh, reminded me of you because you do so much for us! So I asked Sanji what I should do and he said flowers would make a good gift and he and Usopp helped me pick out which kinds- did you know Usopp knows everything about flowers? Because he does! Sanji kept whispering to him though- anyway we picked out a bunch and then Zoro and Luffy helped me look through florist shops in town but Zoro kept getting lost and Luffy kept getting distracted by the colors but we made it back and got what we needed thanks to Nami paying for it and Sanji helped me arrange them into a bouquet and—" he stopped abruptly to suck in a huge breath, but Robin reached out and laid her hand on the top of his hat to stop him before he could start up again.

"Chopper," she all but whispered, her voice full of love and awe.

The boy blinked before returning his gaze to her face. A quiet "Yes?" was all he got out before Robin knelt down to his level, moved the bouquet to the side, and crushed him into a hug. She laid her chin on his tiny shoulder, holding him up and wrapping her arms around him, followed by another set of arms, and another, for good measure. "Robin?" she heard him say, but she kept holding on for longer. She wasn't going to risk letting this moment fade away. Eventually though, what felt like an instant to her must have been an eternity to Chopper, as he squeaked out a "Robin, you're going to hug all the air out of me!"

She let go of him, releasing her extra sets of arms into petals, but lingering one hand to brush against the fur on his cheek as she retrieved the flowers. "I'm sorry," she replied, but the genuine smile she wore said that she would do it all over again. Turning her attention to her gift, she looked each delicate blossom over. It was a lovely purple and white flower mix, tied delicately with a gold-trimmed white ribbon. The spectrum of purples displayed were made up of hyacinths, showing constancy, lilacs, representing pure love, and irises, their three prong shape symbolizing wisdom, valor, and faithfulness. The splashes of white were asters, implying patience, that dotted the bouquet like stars. Though, looking more thoroughly, there were definitely some white lilac bundles mixed in, displaying youthfulness. _Definitely Mr. Cook's influence_ , she thought, holding a hand to her lips to cover her silent chuckle.

Bringing her gaze back to Chopper, Robin sat lightly on her ankles, laying the bouquet in her lap. With her hands free once more, she gently reached out to grab the little doctor's hooves. "Everyone helped you with this?" she asked, and as the now teary-eyed yet smiling boy nodded, her smile grew ever brighter. "Thank you, Chopper. This means more to me than I think I can accurately express. I'll have to make sure to thank everyone at dinner, as well."

"Robin... I'm glad you're here with us," Chopper sniffled, unbelievably large teardrops rolling down his face.

At this, the archaeologist felt tears beginning to blur her vision for the second time that day, but for an entirely different and much more welcome reason. She laid her Mother's Day bouquet gently to the side once more and pulled the little reindeer into a second embrace. This time, without the element of surprise, Chopper was able to wrap his arms around her as well, burying his tear-stained face into her shirt. Robin closed her eyes and nuzzled her face to his neck. "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else," she whispered, as much a reassurance to Chopper as it was a reminder to herself.

Releasing the boy once more, Robin clapped a hand on his shoulder, using the other to brush away her tears. "Now, Mr. Doctor, dry those tears. Dinner will be starting before long," she said, regaining some stability in her voice. In one fluid motion, she cradled the bouquet under one arm and sat up off her ankles. The other hand she extended to the tiny Chopper, beaming at him all the while. "Would you like to walk with me?"

"Of course!" he beamed right back, placing his hoof in her hand as they strolled toward the galley, silhouettes against the setting sun echoing those of a mother walking her child home.

And honestly, as Robin opened the galley door to the smell of wonderful food and the sight of her nakamas' smiling faces, she had never felt more at home.


End file.
